smontanaro 

Aren't you tired of the same old Campagnolo/Cinelli/Brooks Italian stallions? Here's an opportunity to get an Italian steed with less obvious (sometimes equal, sometimes lesser) Italian components. I'm thinning the herd. Next on the chopping block is this Conti Special, most of it, anyway. It comes with everything you see here, EXCEPT the wheels, tires and freewheel. We can probably find another set of wheels from my stash, but they won't be these ones. They will also probably be tubulars.

The backstory I was given when I bought it from Chicago Craigslist about ten years ago was that the original owner picked it up on a trip to Florence in the early 80s, rode it around on that trip, then hung it in his garage when he came home. I think it's more likely to have been mid-80s. When I checked the date code on the derailleur after I bought it, I think it was ~1985. I rode it a bit as I originally bought it, then stripped most of its parts for other projects and hung it up. A couple years ago I started hanging non-Campy (but Italian) bits on it. I recently finished it off and took it out for a spin this morning.



I have a Google Photos album with many more pictures.

Frame parameters:

• ST 60cm ctc
• TT 58cm ctc
• Chainstays 41cm ctc
• ST∡ ~73-74º
• HT∡ ~74º
• Wheelbase 100cm

Here is what's included:

• Galli Aero KL rear derailleur
• Galli something-or-other front derailleur (Criterium, I think)
• Modolo nylon "coke spoon" shift levers
• Galli crankset (Criterium?), 52/42 rings, 170mm length
• Galli/Maillard pista pedals with toe clips and straps (at least the dust caps read "Galli/Maillard"–I saw no other brand markings on the pedals)
• Galli brakes
• Modolo Corsa levers with yellow Modolo hoods
• Cosmos Mod Confort handlebars (37cm wide)
• Specialized stem, 85mm (as Cinelli measures stems, not Nitto)
• Selle Royal Seta saddle
• Simplex seatpost, 26.6mm ⌀
• Ofmega headset
• Unknown bottom bracket (but I can check if that's important)
• Blackburn water bottle cage
• Standard issue issolving Italian decals (I think Gus Salmon has replacements)
• Paint issues, but no dents as far as I can tell
• Two rolls of black Newbaum's cloth tape

There are no tubing labels, but given the 26.6 seatpost and its country of origin, I think Aelle would be a reasonable guess. I set the brake levers at a kind of default position (drops parallel to the top tube, tips of the brake levers lined up with the line projected by the drops). I was unhappy with the lever position, so will avoid taping the handlebars, allowing you to dial in the cockpit. (Trust me, you don't want me taping handlebars anyway). Despite the 27mm tubulars and large (even for me) toe clips, there is no toe clip overlap. The bike seems to ride well. It just isn't interesting enough to keep in the stable (and thus keep me from buying something else I'd want more). The only Campy or Cinelli bits are the Cinelli handlebar end plugs.

Reminder: The wheels shown in the picture are NOT part of the sale.

Price is $300 net to me. I will pack the bike, but you pay shipping. I'm happy to try and answer any questions you might have. If you'd like more pictures, let me know. Happy to oblige.

smontanaro 

In keeping with the "Italian, but not Campagnolo" theme, I found a pair of tubular wheels in the stash with Miche hubs and Mavic Speciale Sport rims. I tossed on a Shimano MF-X012 freewheel, a pair of Spidel skewers, a couple horrible tires (at best usable as emergency spares–I don't think the rear even holds air), added a spacer to the right, and redished the rear wheel. You get these, so technically, it's now a "complete bike."

smontanaro 

Bump...

smontanaro 

$250? Interested in just the frame or (some of) the parts? Ping me (skip.montanaro@gmail.com)

unworthy1

Interesting frame (I just stumbled upon this thread but sorry, not in the market for another right now, plus not my size!)
I fully expected to see a "Conti" that was built in the same factory as the post-Pelizzoli CIOCC and John frames (Bergamo) but no: this is clearly a Florence (Firenze) product and I never saw the likes of it, before!
Do you know who's signature is on the top tube and/or what the "M" in the decal set refers to (I presume the builder)?
This appears to have GPM DOs and if it's Aelle the seat post should be 26.8 not 26.6, but that's subject to exception...did you look up the steerer and see Columbus "rifling" in the lower interior?
GLWS!

smontanaro 

It's actually "CM". I just never took a picture of just that element. I've no idea about the signature on the top tube. When I got the bike it was as you see it in the picture. It has almost completely finished the auto-dissolve process. Just a few yellow dots remain.




I wouldn't be surprised if Conti was just a shop in Firenze that badged contract-built frames with the shop name. My guess is early- to mid-80s, given the date code on the Sachs Huret derailleur it came with when I bought it. I have no idea how one might track down shops in Firenze around that time.

I don't recall ever seeing any rifling. I just peeked in the steerer tube and seat tube. Saw no rifling in either location. That would have only been on high end tubing like SLX. though, right?

unworthy1

Well the mystery continues...
No, the steerer with 6 low spiral ridges (shorthand is "rifling") was used on nearly every Columbus tubeset from the SL range and higher (so SP, SLX, SPX, TSX, maybe KL, maybe Thron...) but more likely NOT in the lower cost range tubesets like Aelle, Cromor, Gara, Zeta...but there always could be exceptions.

I think the 1" threaded rifled steerer had the longest run and most varied use of all Columbus products, may have even made it into the era of "exotic" steels like Brain, Neuron, Genius and the like.

But many Italian builders liked to swap in lower-cost plain-gauge steerers (maybe Falck or just "no-name") cause they might have bought Columbus tubes without any included steerer and this saved a few Lira. Often this swapping was done with the head tube and stays, too